More Vick Ick

The man who never ceases to amaze, Michael Vick, is at it again.

He claims to be "humbled" as a recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, which he received at a banquet earlier this week. I wish he were served as the roast. Merriam-Webster lists the following as the definitions of "humble":

1: not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive

Nope; Vick misses that definition by miles.

2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission

Ohhhhh-ho-ho boy; he really should have checked the dictionary before using this word.

3. a: ranking low in a hierarchy or scale: insignificant, unpretentious

Hmmm... I agree, but I don't think this is what Vick was going for. As a matter of fact, Mike's probably living pretty large these days with all that dough coming in.

The Philadelphia Eagles have exercised their 2010 option on Vick. I'm not a sports expert, but no matter how you look at it, Vick wins. The Eagles paid Vick a $1.5 million roster bonus this week, and whichever team picks up the bonehead, whether it's the Eagles or another NFL franchise, Vick will get the remainder of his 2010 salary. How much, you ask? Oh, just $5.25 million for this convicted animal killer. (Click on the link to see a pic of Mike posing with a nun. Note that they're not touching; otherwise, it would be a pic of a pile of dust and a nun.)

But the fun doesn't stop there!

Spike TV has added Vick to the cast of Joes vs. Pros.  Great. No info on how much he'll make from his appearances, but I'm sure it's not pro bono. He just doesn't strike me as the type.

I don't usually hold grudges like this. I hate him for making me hate him. But he's so good at cultivating hate for himself, isn't he.

Breed Specific Legislation Ticks Me Off

What do German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Akitas, Greyhounds (yes, Greyhounds), and pit bulls have in common? They're all great dogs who have become the target of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in many countries around the world, including the United States.

And it burns me up. It makes me want to stomp my paws and bark at the mailman!

Often, if a dog is aggressive or violent, it's due to poor breeding, poor upbringing, or a combination of both.

BSL doesn't solve the root of the problem: Humans who have trained their dogs to be fighters or otherwise dangerous. Rather than addressing the need for responsible pet ownership, BSL ignores the human factor and punishes the animal.

It's time to hold owners responsible for their despicable actions. The Michael Vick case was a disturbing event that will hopefully show officials that it's the humans, not the animals, who are the responsible parties. Of the 49 dogs that were seized from Vick's property, all but one will be placed with families or live their lives in peace as loved members of sanctuaries.

And besides, how would you ban pit bulls with Breed Specific Legislation? We're not a breed! Us plain old pits are a mix of as many as 35 different breeds of dog including Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Spanish Alanos, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Bandogs, Dogues Brasileiros, Dogo Argentinos, Guatemalan Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, Boxers, Bull Mastiffs, Bull Terriers, English Bulldogs, Rottweilers, Akitas, Chow Chows, and even Labradors. Look for a Lab with a purple tongue. They're quite common.